Italian journalists Stefania Battistini and Simone Traini arrested in absentia over Russia war report

Russian authorities should immediately cancel the arrest warrants issued in absentia for Italian journalists Stefania Battistini and Simone Traini, charged with illegal border crossing following their August 14 report on the Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.

“The arrest warrants for Stefania Battistini and Simone Traini are a clear attempt to intimidate and silence foreign journalists covering the Russia-Ukraine war,” said Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, in New York. “Russian authorities must immediately drop the charges against them and allow journalists to report freely and without fear of retaliation, especially in conflict zones.” 

Battistini and Traini’s reporting, as correspondents for Italian public broadcaster RAI, marked the first foreign media report from the affected area—in which the journalists were shown in a Ukrainian military vehicle as they spoke with residents and looked at damaged houses and cars. 

The journalists, who have since left Russia, would be immediately held in pre-trial detention if they return or visit a country that has extradition treaties with Russia, according to legal guidelines. If convicted of illegal border crossing, Battistini and Traini face up to five years in prison. 

Since August 17, similar criminal cases have been initiated against a total of 14 foreign journalists. Russian authorities opened criminal cases against Battistini and Traini in mid-August and later added them to their wanted list.

CPJ emailed Russia’s Federal Security Service for comment but did not receive a reply.